Democracy Dies in Darkness Sections Home Subscribe Username Sign In Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Subscribe Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Accessibility for screenreader Wonkblog by Jeff Stein by Jeff Stein Email the author March 9 at 10:25 AM Email the author An internal report by a banking regulator projects how it might help JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, which owns Citibank. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) A bipartisan Senate bill quickly moving toward passage could allow two of the nation’s biggest banks to reduce the amount of money they must keep on hand as a buffer against collapse by a collective $30 billion, an internal analysis by a top banking regulator has found. That reduction in capital could weaken one of the safeguards Congress helped put in place after the Great Recession, some banking experts say. The analysis by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a government agency that helps oversee the nation’s banking system, found that JPMorgan Chase, which has $2.6 trillion in assets, could lower its required capital stockpile by $21.4 billion, if federal regulators decide the law applies to it. Citigroup, which has $1.9 trillion in assets, could reduce its capital position by $8.6 billion. The analysis was obtained by The Washington Post. The report comes as the Senate is weighing legislation to scale back banking regulations passed as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law, which was forged in response to the 2008 crisis. The bill cleared a procedural Senate hurdle this week with support from all voting Republicans and 17 senators in the Democratic caucus, suggesting the chamber will eventually pass it, probably next week. [ 10 years after financial crisis, Senate prepares to roll back banking rules ] Proponents say the bill reduces regulatory burdens for Continue Reading

Democracy Dies in Darkness Sections Home Subscribe Username Sign In Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Subscribe Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Accessibility for screenreader Wonkblog by Jeff Stein by Jeff Stein Email the author March 9 at 10:25 AM Email the author An internal report by a banking regulator projects how it might help JPMorgan and Citigroup, which owns Citibank. (Justin Sullivan/GETTY IMAGES) A bipartisan Senate bill quickly moving toward passage could allow two of the nation’s biggest banks to reduce the amount of money they must keep on hand as a buffer against collapse by a collective $30 billion, an internal analysis by a top banking regulator has found. That reduction in capital could weaken one of the safeguards Congress helped put in place after the 2008 financial crisis, some banking experts say. The analysis by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., a government agency that helps oversee the nation’s banking system, found that JPMorgan, which has $2.6 trillion in assets, could lower its required capital stockpile by $21.4 billion, if federal regulators decide the law applies to them. Citigroup, which has $1.9 trillion in assets, could reduce its capital position by $8.6 billion. The analysis was obtained by The Washington Post. The report comes as the Senate is weighing legislation to scale back banking regulations passed as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law, which was forged in response to the 2008 crisis. The bill cleared a procedural Senate hurdle this week with support from all voting Republicans and 17 senators in the Democratic caucus, suggesting the chamber will eventually pass it, likely next week. [ 10 years after financial crisis, Senate prepares to roll back banking rules ] Proponents say the bill reduces regulatory burdens for midsize banks Continue Reading

Democracy Dies in Darkness Sections Home Subscribe Username Sign In Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Subscribe Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Accessibility for screenreader Reliable Source by Helena Andrews-Dyer by Helena Andrews-Dyer Email the author March 8 at 2:56 PM Email the author Chef Mike Isabella in the dining room of Kapnos on Aug. 19, 2013. (Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post) Celebrity chef Mike Isabella, who rules over a $30 million culinary empire that stretches from the 14th Street corridor to Richmond, is putting down expensive roots in one of Washington’s hottest new neighborhoods. Isabella and his wife, Stacy, recently closed on a $2.19 million condo in the Vio complex at the Wharf, according to Washington Business Journal. Their new home is two blocks away from the chef’s latest restaurant, the French-style Requin. The “Top Chef” alum owns just over a dozen eateries throughout the DMV, including a massive food hall at Tysons Galleria where VIPs have made frequent pit stops. Lady Gaga popped up — in a huge brown fur and fishnets — at Arroz, the chef’s downtown Spanish-style restaurant, in November. And Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Sonia Sotomayor have all dined at one or more of Isabella’s concepts. The Isabellas haven’t relocated to their fancy new digs yet, but the move is a short one. The couple currently live in Chinatown close to Isabella’s first restaurant, Graffiato. Helena Andrews-Dyer is the co-author of The Reliable Source. Send your hot tips, sightings and gossip to [email protected] Follow @helena_andrews Close Now Playing Continue Reading

Democracy Dies in Darkness Sections Home Subscribe Username Sign In Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Subscribe Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Accessibility for screenreader Going Out Guide by Going Out Guide staff by Going Out Guide staff February 26 The singer Kelela will perform at the 9:30 Club on Thursday. (Dicko Chan) Monday, Feb. 26 'A Red-Carpet Night with Oscar' at the S. Dillon Ripley Center: Make the most of your Oscar pool, thanks to the Smithsonian Associates. Critic Noah Gittell of the BBC's “Talking Movies” and the Washington City Paper host an evening that ranges from discussions of this year's contenders to Academy Awards trivia. Dress up and pose for photos with “celebrities” from Madame Tussauds on the red carpet, have a few drinks and complete an Oscar ballot — prizes will be awarded to the most accurate ballots. 6:45 p.m. $30-$45. 'Orchid Spectrum' at the U.S. Botanic Garden: Smithsonian Gardens and the U.S. Botanic Garden join forces for this annual orchid show, featuring thousands of blooms. Through April 8. Free. Tuesday, Feb. 27 Can I Kick It: 'Drunken Master' at Songbyrd Music House: The monthly mash-up of classic Kung-Fu flicks and live hip-hop DJing returns to Songbyrd in Adams Morgan. This month's feature is a real treat. “Drunken Master” is an action-comedy starring a young Jackie Chan who learns the ancient fighting style of “The Eight Drunken Immortals” to help his family. 7 p.m. Free. [8 surprising places to see free movies around D.C.] Wednesday, Feb. 28 Diet Cig at the Rock and Roll Hotel: Alex Luciano may sing “It’s hard to be a punk while wearing a skirt,” but the singer-guitarist makes it look easy. The 22-year-old had never been in a band before teaming up with Continue Reading

Democracy Dies in Darkness Sections Home Subscribe Username Sign In Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Subscribe Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Accessibility for screenreader Comic Riffs by David Betancourt by David Betancourt Email the author February 7 Email the author Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) must deal with comic-book rival Cable (Josh Brolin) in “Deadpool 2.” (Twentieth Century Fox) Ryan Reynolds and Twentieth Century Fox have posted the first full trailer for “Deadpool 2″ online, and one thing is clear: This movie is going to have a lot of Cable. The YouTube video for the trailer is titled “Deadpool, Meet Cable,” and that’s exactly what we get in the opening seconds. The video has a visually grim and gritty tone as Brolin talks over the action and we see the character’s trademark glowing eye and cybernetic arm. For a second you could almost believe “Deadpool” is changing its normally comedic approach to take on a more serious character, but then we see Brolin with a green-screen sleeve where his metal limb is supposed to be. Reynolds-as-Deadpool takes over the narration, berating the trailer editors for the mix-up. He then takes a moment to take a jab at the much-maligned “Justice League” movie and Henry Cavill/Superman’s facial hair dilemma: “It’s not like we’re trying to remove a mustache.” [ How Deadpool survived the ’90s, a decade when most new comics superheroes faded away ] From there it’s all action and a quick peek at who else will be in the anticipated summer sequel: There are glances at newcomer Domino (Zazie Beetz), returning players Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and more zooming in on the teddy bear Cable Continue Reading

Peter Stone, Greg Gordon, McClatchy Washington Bureau Published 11:59 am, Thursday, January 18, 2018 Now Playing: As the investigation into alleged Russian meddling grinds on, a new report reveals the FBI may be looking into the NRA as a potential piece to the puzzle. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@FantasticMrNate) reports. Media: Buzz 60 WASHINGTON — The FBI is investigating whether a top Russian banker with ties to the Kremlin illegally funneled money to the National Rifle Association to help Donald Trump win the presidency, two sources familiar with the matter have told McClatchy newspapers. FBI counterintelligence investigators have focused on the activities of Alexander Torshin, the deputy governor of Russia's central bank who is known for his close relationships with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the NRA, the sources said. It is illegal to use foreign money to influence federal elections. It's unclear how long the Torshin inquiry has been ongoing, but the news comes as Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller's sweeping investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, including whether the Kremlin colluded with Trump's campaign, has been heating up. All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because Mueller's investigation is confidential and mostly involves classified information. A spokesman for Mueller's office declined comment. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', Continue Reading

A disabled passenger was allegedly refused help by airport staff that informed her that she "didn't look disabled." Nathalie Allport Grantham said had requested a wheelchair ahead of her Dec. 30 flight to get her to the gate and assistance with carrying her luggage onto the aircraft, but the woman was told that she was "wasting their time" by seeking aid. The 23-year-old deemed staff at the London Stansted Airport "disgusting" after they allegedly refused to provide assistance with her travel needs, the Independent reported. Allport-Grantham suffers Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a chronic disorder that affects one's connective tissue. While her disabilities aren't visible, she said, the condition requires her to sometimes use a wheelchair. Allport-Grantham reportedly requested wheelchair assistance when purchasing a ticket Nov. 5 for a flight with Ryanair instead of boarding with her own. Although she made the arrangements through Ryanair, the airports are tasked with fulfilling the requests through Omniserv, an external provider that claims to be "a people company" on its website. The woman was given a wheelchair upon her early arrival, which her boyfriend — who was set to fly with her — pushed to a lounge area on the way to the gate. Shortly after she moved from the wheelchair to a lounge seat, she claimed the wheelchair was taken by an airport worker that guaranteed they'd return it. The male staffer never returned, which caused Allport-Grantham to walk to the Ryanair gate five minutes away. She then saw two other wheelchair fliers waiting before the gate, however. "It's something I and everyone with chronic illnesses is used to, being judged and being called a liar." https://t.co/2mHUmCJ128 — BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) January 4, 2018 "I told the lady on duty that I had booked special assistance and needed help with my bags and to get onto the aircraft," Allport-Grantham Continue Reading

New York City's private computer army keeps mushrooming under Mayor Bloomberg - and no one has any idea of its exact size. What we do know is the city's overall contract spending has doubled to more than $10 billion in the last five years - and a huge part of the increase is for technology contracts. Those computer armies can be found inside every city agency. Its foot soldiers sit at city desks. They carry city ID cards. They spend all their time - often years - devising and maintaining huge information systems with Orwellian names like NYC WIN, ECTP, ACRIS, NICE, CitiServ. Yet the outside contractors remain a world apart from the ordinary civil servants of our city. The techies routinely bill taxpayers for enormous salaries.Since their salaries often come out of the city's capital budget, their names, titles and pay rates rarely appear in any expense reports the mayor makes public. Last week, Brooklyn City Councilwoman Letitia James took a bold step. She introduced a bill that would require an annual report on the size and cost of outside contractors. "This period of budget deficits is not the time to increase outsourcing," James said. This column has documented for more than two years the runaway costs of such contracts. They include: The 63 consultants from a little-known Florida-based company, Future Technology Associates, being paid an average of $250,000 a year to develop a new financial accounting system for the Department of Education. All of this money went to a firm that had no office and operated out of a mail drop. The 230 consultants from defense giant SAIC who were paid an average of $400,000 a year - some of them for a decade - to design and install the infamous CityTime payroll and timekeeping system. The nearly 200 Hewlett-Packard consultants who spent years overseeing the $2 billion upgrade to the city's 911 system, known as ECTP. Before Hewlett-Packard was bounced from the job for repeated delays and cost Continue Reading

The U.S. military is studying the woman who received a federally funded face transplant after she was attacked by a rampaging chimpanzee, hoping the findings help seriously disfigured soldiers returning from war. The Pentagon paid for Charla Nash’s full face transplant in 2011 — two years after she was horribly disfigured by a chimp attack — and is underwriting her follow-up treatment at a combined cost estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Nash will take part in a military-funded experiment in which doctors at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital will try to wean her off the anti-rejection drugs she has been taking since the transplant. Nash jokes about sometimes feeling like a science project. But the 61-year-old daughter of an Air Force veteran said she gets real satisfaction out of letting the doctors use her for research, and sees it as an opportunity to help wounded soldiers and "do something good out of all of this bad." "They asked me, could they? I said, 'Yeah, I'd be thrilled to help out in any way I could,'" said Nash, a former Connecticut resident who now lives on her own in Boston with the help of part-time aides. Nash lost her nose, lips, eyelids and hands when she was mauled by her employer's 200-pound pet chimpanzee in Stamford, Connecticut. Doctors also had to remove her eyes because of a disease transmitted by the chimp. She later received new facial features taken from a dead woman. She also underwent a double hand transplant, but it failed when her body rejected the tissue. Now blind, Nash spends most of her days listening to AM radio and books on tape — lately, "War and Peace" — in her modest, second-story apartment. She also exercises a couple of days a week with a trainer at a gym to build her strength and stay healthy. A GoFundMe account is being set up to help raise Continue Reading